On June 27, 2025, Pakistan’s Supreme Court Constitutional Bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, delivered a significant ruling, accepting review petitions by a 7-5 majority and overturning the July 12, 2024, decision granting reserved seats for women and minorities to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Consequently, the court restored the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) order, dealing a major blow to Imran Khan’s party.
A 10-member bench has issued a short order that overturns a previous Supreme Court ruling, which had validated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s claim to reserved seats. Justice Aminuddin Khan announced that seven justices, including himself, granted the review petitions and dismissed the appeals made by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), while also upholding the decision of the Peshawar High Court (PHC). The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) initially denied these reserved seats to the SIC, a decision supported by the PHC. The earlier verdict from July 2024 had identified 39 out of 80 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) as PTI candidates, but this decision has now been nullified.
🚨🚨#BREAKING: Constitutional bench of #SupremeCourt by majority of 7-5 allowed review petitions in #PTI reserved seats and restored #Peshawar high court judgment of refusing reserve seats to Sunni Ittehad Council. pic.twitter.com/C49jktBTcB
— Asad Ali Toor (@AsadAToor) June 27, 2025Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail partially dissented by upholding 39 seats while reviewing the status of 41 seats, with detailed reasons to be provided later. Meanwhile, Justices Mohammad Ali Mazhar and Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi allowed the petitions but instructed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to re-examine the nomination papers of all 80 candidates concerning their party affiliations, citing unresolved factual disputes. This directive ensures a thorough review of candidate documentation, addressing concerns raised by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have filed review petitions against a 2024 ruling that deemed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ineligible for reserved seats. This decision overturns an earlier 8-5 majority verdict from July 2024, led by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, which had favoured PTI. The new ruling diminishes PTI’s presence in parliament, affecting its influence ahead of the upcoming elections. As a result, Imran Khan’s party faces significant challenges in maintaining its political momentum, reflecting a divided public response.
The verdict strengthens the ECP’s authority and aligns with the PHC’s original stance, reinforcing legal consistency. However, it may deepen political tensions, with PTI supporters voicing frustration online, per Reuters. As the ECP begins its review, the outcome could reshape Pakistan’s legislative landscape, influencing coalition dynamics and voter sentiment in the lead-up to future polls.
